


Life On The Run

by JustSomeStranger



Series: No Dignity in Childbirth [5]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Angst, Car Chases, Childhood, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Issues, Gun Violence, Kid Fic, M/M, Mpreg, Non-Graphic Violence, On the Run, Parenthood, Post Mpreg, Post-Canon, Running Away, Shooting, Violence, implied depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:45:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5940943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustSomeStranger/pseuds/JustSomeStranger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life on the run is far from easy. Much less with a child to care for. And Sniper and Spy's relationship is starting to show signs of strain because of this. After a week it's begining to look life they've left their would-be attackers behind. That is, until they decide to show up again. Now Anne Marie's future, Sniper and Spy's relationship, and ultimately their very lives now hang in the balance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life On The Run

It had been a week since they went on the run. A week of almost non-stop driving. Only ever stopping in order to rest, refuel, buy food or relieve themselves. They were all exhausted. Especially Sniper, who was doing all the driving. But still he drove. He didn't talk much except for when they were about to stop for something.  
  
Anne Marie sat on Spy's lap and just stared out the window, watching the scenery go by while playing with her toy spider. Spy himself just stared on ahead, completely silent. Occasionally he'd exchange words with Anne Marie to entertain her. And to Sniper, to instruct him where to go. But there was a hollow emptiness in his voice these days. It was like… Sniper wasn't quite sure. But he knew Spy wasn't himself.  
  
Anne Marie hadn't quite picked up on it, but she did know one thing. Ever since they'd ran away to escape the bad guys, her Daddy and Papa were always unhappy. They didn't smile anymore, except when talking to her. They would often look over their shoulders as if expecting one of the bad guys to pounce on them at any moment. They always looked scared when they did that, which in turn scared her too. And they would argue sometimes, when they thought she was fast asleep in the back. This wasn't the usual kind of arguing either. Not the kind like Daddy peeing in jars or Papa dressing too fancy then complaining about getting his suit dirty. They were more like that one time when she was little. She had painted one of Papa's extremely expensive suits bright pink. He wasn't very happy when he found out.  
  
Spy took his eyes off the road to check on Anne Marie for a second. Satisfied that she seemed alright, he resigned himself to just staring at the road again. A dark empty feeling came over him. This wasn't the first time he'd been on the run from an old enemy of his. He did his best to cover his tracks, but one of them always managed to track him down sooner of later. But this time was different. This time he no longer had just himself to lookout for. He had a family. A loving partner and a daughter that needed his and Sniper's protection. He wasn't too worried for the Bushman since Spy knew he was quite capable of taking care of himself. But Anne Marie was still too young to be able to handle herself in a combat situation. Hell, she still needed to wear earplugs when firing a gun to make the noise they made bearable for her.  
  
Spy then noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look at the side view mirror. That car had been following then for several miles now. The car in question was dull red in colour. He eyed it suspiciously through the mirror. Which ever way they turned, which ever junction they were on, the car followed not far behind. At times it would hide behind other cars, but it was unmistakably the same one.  
  
"I think we are being followed" he said, finally breaking the silence.  
  
Sniper glanced at him before turning his attention back to the road. Anne Marie snapped out of her daydream and looked up at him. The Frenchman could see the unease on both their faces.  
  
"D'ya think it's them?" Sniper asked.  
  
Spy took another look at the car through the mirror. He saw the passenger draw out something and point it at them. His eyes widened, realizing it was a pistol.  
  
"Yes!" Spy drew his head back in, "Drive!"  
  
Sniper slammed his foot on the accelerator. The sound of gunfire went off behind them. Bullets started imbedding themselves in the van. Sniper weaved his van through the thick traffic at top speed. Car horns sounded and vehicles would swerve to get out of the way. The red car followed in hot pursuit. After having reloaded their pistol, the passenger began shooting at them again.  
  
Anne Marie covered her ears and screamed. Spy curled himself around her, using his body to shield her from any bullets or shrapnel. Feeling her Papa squeezing her tight, Anne Marie's screaming died down to a whimper.  
  
Sniper pushed all thoughts and sounds out of his mind. All that existed to him were the interstate and the cars and trucks he needed to avoid.  
  
The passenger with the gun either had terrible aim, or wasn't smart enough to think to shoot the tyres. Windshields shattered as stray bullets hit them. Cars, trucks and vans crashed into one another as their drivers tried desperately to get out of the line of fire. A pileup ensued.  
  
Sniper gritted his teeth as he dodged the unfolding chaos. The van skidded violently taking a good few knocks and scrapes. Several times it came very close to tipping over. The car chasing them struggled to keep up. It swerved left and right through the carnage, with the passenger reloading and shooting every chance they got. The colliding vehicles started to close in on them. With less and less escape routes either of them could take, it was only a matter of time before they'd get caught in the collision. A car turned over right in front of Sniper who skidded to a sudden halt just inches in front of it. After gathering himself, he put the van into reverse and found another route to take. The driver and passenger of the red car however weren't so fortunate who, woe and behold, found themselves boxed in. They tried to scramble out of the car and pursue them on foot, but they were long gone by then.  
  
Sniper drove off. He heard sirens in the distance behind him. No doubt they were police and ambulances to cordon off the area and take the wounded to the nearest hospital. His heart was racing. His body still full of adrenaline. He turned to Spy and Anne Marie next to him. Spy uncurled himself from their daughter who shook like a leaf, eyes wide.  
  
"Everyone alright?" Sniper asked.  
  
"I'm fine" Spy replied, a little shaken himself from the experience. Concerned, Spy turned his attention to the child on his lap. "Marie?"  
  
His heart broke when he saw the state she was in. He pulled her close and held her in a protective fashion as she began to weep into his chest.  
  
"Shh. It's alright Marie, it's alright. I will never let them hurt you. Tout ira bien, je promets" Spy cooed, stroking behind her ear.  
  
Sniper watched almost intently. Almost, since he had to watch the road too. He couldn't help but worry for her. Poor kid. He made a mental note to stop off at the nearest gas station to get her an ice cream or a bar of chocolate. She deserved it after what she'd just been through.  
  
"She alright?" Sniper asked.  
  
"Oui. She is just shaken" the Frenchman replied.  
  
"Hey" Sniper turned to her, "How's about we get you an ice cream? Sound good?"  
  
Anne Marie perked up. Sniffling, she nodded while wiping her eyes.  
  
…  
  
Sniper took Anne Marie into the gas station to by her an ice cream and pay for the gas he used to refill the tank. Spy meanwhile, frantically searched the van up and down for the umpteenth time. Looking to see if he could find any sort of tracker. He didn't find anything. How had they found them then? There was no way they would be able to without some sort of planted tracking device in place. He had to find it and get rid of it before something like that car chase ever happened again. Or failing that, abandon the vehicle and acquire another one somehow.  
  
Spy sat back down in the van's passenger seat, letting out a huge sigh. He felt a familiar hollowness come over him. It was like something was draining him. Of energy, of happiness, of the enjoyment of life, leaving behind only an empty shell where a person once was. Spy had always felt this way ever since after World War Two had ended. It was these times he'd dig out another cigarette from his case and light up before the darkness took ahold of him completely.  
  
That was when he felt a lump. Spy realized he'd sat on Anne Marie's stuffed spider. He pulled it out from underneath himself and placed it out of the way. He lit up. As he did so, the Frenchman picked up the toy and examined it. It was very cartoony looking. It was black in colour and unlike a real spider, had two eyes and a smiley face. Spy smirked at the toy. What was it with his daughter and spiders?  
  
It was then he felt a hard lump inside. Spy frowned, squeezing the spider where he felt it. The lump was thick and rectangular in shape. On the neckline, he noticed a part of the stitches weren't quite as uniform as the rest. Spy knew Anne Marie would be mad at him for cutting into her beloved spider, but he had to know what was inside. He flipped open his butterfly knife and began to pick at the seam on the neckline. They came away with ease revealing lots of white stuffing. He stuck his fingers into the hole he'd made, feeling around. Got it! Spy pulled the suspicious object out. Just what he'd suspected. He got out of the van and tossed the tracker into some bushes at the edge of the gas station, just as Sniper and Anne Marie came out with ice cream, cigarettes and some food and drinks.  
  
…  
  
Anne Marie was furious. How _DARE_ he cut up her toy spider! What kind of _MONSTER_ took such pleasure in such a wicked cruel thing? Needless to say, upon finding out what her Papa had done to her toy, Anne Marie started screaming her head off, and even trying to explain to her why he had to do it would not shut her up.  
  
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" She yelled.  
  
That got to Spy.  
  
"You ungrateful little brat" the Frenchman hissed, "How dare you speak to your father like that. After all that I have done for you, it is still never good enough for the likes of you, is it." His voice grew louder, "Non. You still have to take and take. You drain every last bit of patience I have. You always make life difficult and yet you still want more. You still want to bleed me even drier. I never even wanted you! In fact, given the choice, I would _never_ have had you!"  
  
Anne Marie just stared back at him in stunned silence. She didn't know what to say or think. Was it true? Had Papa never really wanted her? Did he not really love her?  
  
Sniper had had enough. He pulled over and turned to Spy.  
  
"Can we talk?" He asked, rather insistently.  
  
…  
  
"Alright, what is it? What's wrong Spook?" Sniper demanded once they were both outside.  
  
"Nothing is wrong Bushman" Spy growled in reply, "I was merely feeling irritated by the noise she was making. I'm sure you were too. I saw you tense every time she screamed".  
  
"Irritated? You bloody chewed her out and told her you didn't love her!" The Aussie pointed out, "The hell where you playin at?"  
  
"I never meant to give her that impression" Spy retorted, "I only meant to shut her up. If I had spoken to my father like that, I would've been belted so hard I would never be able to sit properly ever again".  
  
"It don't matter that's what you intended. She's a kid, she ain't gonna know that. Besides which, you even said yourself you didn't want her. What the hell did you expect she'd take from that ya bloody piker?"  
  
"I did not mean to say those things" said Spy, sounding rather defensive now, "It was a spur of the moment. Nothing more. You and I both know it is not true. … She is our child Sniper. I could never not love her".  
  
"What's wrong Spy?" Sniper asked, his voice calm yet authoritative.  
  
"… I cannot say" was all the Frenchman could reply with.  
  
"Why not?" asked Sniper, "Is it top secret or something?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Why then?" Sniper demanded, "Why can't ya tell me? You're my partner for god sake! We should be able to tell each other stuff that's buggin us".  
  
Spy lit a cigarette and took a long drag, staring off into the distance and the setting sun. He sighed and said, "I cannot say, because I myself am not sure. I have not been feeling myself since that night, that much I know".  
  
"Why d'ya think that is?"  
  
The Spy again took another long drag of his cigarette, still refusing to make eye contact. He never did feel comfortable discussing his feelings, even to those he loved. He was always a secretive man. He had to be, it was part of his profession. To let slip emotion, he had been taught from early on in his training, was a sign of weakness. For this reason, Spy had become very good at hiding and distancing himself from the world. Bottling up his emotions to maintain a well groomed, professional and enigmatic persona (with the occasional slip up). But in doing so had cost Spy many relationships, placed a distrust in others in him, and had lost the ability to display anything resembling humanity. It was no wonder he was losing his sanity.  
  
Finally, he said, "I'm, just… tired. Of running, of hiding, of always, having to look over my shoulder. And I'm tired of worrying about that silly girl of ours. With her spiders and insects, and her special needs. And you".  
  
"Why me? You know I can take care of myself" a bewildered Sniper responded.  
  
"You do not know what these people are capable of" Spy warned him, "These people are out for revenge. And they will use you and Anne Marie to get it" he once again broke eye contact and took in more smoke.  
  
Anne Marie listened intently from inside the van, rocking back and fourth in her seat. The shock and sadness she had felt dissipated upon hearing her dads, for once, talking instead of fighting for the first time since they ran away from the bad guys. She also gave a sigh of relief after knowing that her Papa hadn't meant what he'd said. She hoped maybe now they won't fight anymore. Maybe now, they will be happy and start loving each other again. She so desperately wanted that to be true.  
  
Just then, both the Sniper and Spy heard three cars pull up behind them. Their eyes widened in horror when they realized that amongst them was the same red car from the interstate. How the hell had they found them?  
  
"Ah piss" groaned Sniper, knowing what was to follow.  
  
"Run!" Spy barked.  
  
Both men sprinted to either side of the van. Spy placed Anne Marie on his lap while Sniper started up the engine.  
  
"Papa what's happening?" The girl asked worried, "Daddy?"  
  
Neither of them answered. They heard footsteps pounding the ground behind them and one of the cars moving in an attempt to block them. Sniper slammed his foot down and sped off. Gunshots went off as they fled. Anne Marie once again covered her ears.  
  
…  
  
Sure enough, the other cars were soon hot on their heels. No matter what the Aussie did, he couldn't lose them. No matter which road he went down, or sharp turn he took they would always find him. Spy assumed there must be a secondary tracker hidden somewhere in the van. Both assassins cursed their luck.  
  
Suddenly there was a loud pop and the van went off kilter. The van swerved violently before Sniper had to draw it to a stop. A tyre had popped.  
  
" **FUCKING GREAT!** " Yelled Sniper, slamming his hands down on the steering wheel out of frustration. Not caring that he'd sworn in front of his daughter.  
  
"Let us move!" Spy urged, not willing to give up.  
  
All three scrambled out of the van and darted into a nearby wood, dodging a few bullets as they ran.


End file.
